Afire
by Birddy
Summary: My job had been simple. Escape from the quarter quell, get to district 12 and get out as many as I could. Everything that happened afterwards was predictable. Being captured by the capital? I expected that. Getting beat senseless for information. Yes, I saw that coming as well. What I hadn't expected was for Gale to actually save me, & the bastard just made my job more complicated.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Guys! This is my first Hunger Games fanfic, so I'm not that experienced, but I'm pretty sure every author on here has at least one. So here we are.**

 **Just to clear things up, this is a GALE/OC story. As much as I love Galeniss/Everthorne, I felt like Gale didn't have a good ending for the series. It's not fair that he still doesn't get the girl, and we don't known where he ended up as far as relationships go, so why not give him a girl? This takes place during the end of Catching Fire, going into MockingJay.**

/

The hands that were holding me tightened around my neck. They were different from the ones before, they weren't rough or calloused, nor could I feel the history they had of climbing trees or the cuts and scabs that suggested lumber work. These hands weren't from district 7.

They were so soft, so smooth, yet slightly artificial. For that reason, they were far more menacing.

My eyes opened in a wild haste underneath the darkness of the water, and I felt myself mouth open in a scream, only to come out as a pathetic gurgle. I didn't feel myself thrashing anymore even though I knew I had been this whole time. No one would hear me, and no one would save me. I should know this by now, they always do this. Ever since they learned that the whippings and beatings wouldn't give them what they want, this is what they do.

They do this because they know it's the only thing that can truly break me. To make me give in and betray everyone.

But I wouldn't, and they knew that now as well. I'm sure the peacekeeper covered in my saliva can testify to that.

So now that I'm no longer a use to them, they will actually kill me this time. Not hold me in for two minutes just for laughs.

But suffocating was a familiar feeling to me, it was one I had gotten to know far too well. The slight burning in my lungs and feeling like my whole body is being pushed and pulled in all different directions. It's a cycle I know like the back of my hand.

I didn't give into them, even when I heard the muffled sound of guns firing off. I didn't stop even after I saw the blood pool in the water, creating dark red patterns above me. It wasn't mine.

 _Pretty,_ I thought before I felt myself being pulled away from the sight. It was still dark.

I felt a new pair of hands pushing violently on my chest, forcing the leftover water out of me. They were familiar.

It was still dark, my eyes must be closed.

"Come on!" I heard someone say above me before another round of pumps were delivered.

The air that hit my lungs was lovely.

"I told you I'd see you again. I told you so." The same masculine voice murmured in my ear. I felt myself being pulled against their chest.

My coherent response was a strange mix of harsh coughing and laughing. Arrogant bastard.

"I told you so."

/

 **Tell me what you think. Review and a vote would be lovely.**

 **-Birdy**


	2. Chapter One

**It's worth it. I promise.**

 **-Birdy**

/

Chapter 1.

"You know, it only works if you actually have the IV where it's suppose to be." said Finnick, above me. I didn't have to open my eyes to know that he was smiling.

I groaned as my stomach growled again, "Give me real food and we wouldn't have that problem." I waited a beat. No response.

Then I felt a sugar cube getting pushed into my mouth, my eyes snapped open and I glared at Finnick. He laughed at my face as the clump of shit dissolved in my mouth and said, "That's literally the only reason I visited. Your face is still priceless." He chuckled, popping another cube in his mouth.

I scoffed as I swallow the rest of it, "I'm gone for God-knows-how-long, and you're still a fatass when I get back."

He laughed even more at my insult. "Ah, it's nice to have you back, Val. I missed your colorful language." I couldn't help but smile back at him, even though my lips were chapped and I probably looked as disgusting as I felt.

Despite his arrogance at times, I can't say I didn't miss his easy humor when I was gone.

His smile is gone when my stomach growls again. "Seriously though, Valerie. You need to eat."

"You mean allow this piss-looking fluid to go through my bloodstream? No."

"It's not that bad, you're lucky they're not force feeding you with a tube down your throat."

"As if that's never happened to any of us before"

He glared, "You were 65 pounds when we found you, Val. Practically a walking skeleton, and no one wants to see you like that again."

My lips pursed together at the reminder. I could almost remember the feeling of my body eating itself from the inside. It was weeks ago, but the memory is still fresh.

He gave a half-hearted smile when I sighed in defeat and offered him my arm. He was gentle with his hands as he worked with the Iv. "As stubborn as you are, it's doctor's orders, babe." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Already flirting with her, Finnick?" a voice said behind me.

Finnick and I both turned to see Gale leaning against the entry, his blue eyes staring intently into mine. Finnick just smirked at him, "Just getting her all dolled up for you, actually."

"Yet, I still look like shit." was my remark as Gale chuckled and came over to sit on the edge of my bed.

"How are you feeling?" He asks

I look at him with a smile, "Like I could set the whole world on fire."

"Well don't get too excited," Finnick chimed in, "because it'll be a while before you get the chance to fuck anything up."

"Don't you have a girlfriend to be making out with?" I said matter-of-factly, I knew they had managed to get Annie out along with me. For that, he's happier than the last time I saw him.

Finnick just gave me a wicked grin, "Trust me, babe. We do enough of that to last a lifetime." He winks, and stands to stretch.

"Yeah we're all jealous, Finn. Now get out of here, it's my turn to hog Val." says Gale, rolling his eyes at the playboy. Finnick chuckles but holds his hands up and backs out of the room.

When he exits, Gale turns his stare back to me and lets his eyes roam over me for the first time since I've been here. I stared back at him. It was incredibly awkward.

I know how I must look to him. Even though I've gained a lot of weight, I was still barely 90 pounds. I was pale, despite the tan, caramel color of my skin that I, and everyone in district 11 was born with. I was fully aware of the bruises that littered my thighs, my torso and my entire back. My whole face must've been sunken in from all the exhaustion my body has gone through, all of the hours of sleep I've had doesn't help.

God, I probably look like a starved rat to him. And from the way his eyes darkened, he probably thought so too.

I interrupted him when he opened his mouth to speak. "Don't look at me like that," I said calmly. "Don't you dare, I don't want your pity."

He closed his mouth, but kept his intense gaze on me. "What the hell did they do to you?"

"Nothing that I couldn't handle."

His lips pressed in a thin line, "Valerie," he started, his voice was low. "I watched them drown you to death, how-"

"It's not anything that's new to me, and that's all I'm going to say about it."

He let out a shaky breath, running a hand through his thick hair. He nodded, knowing I wasn't ready to tell him. I decided to change the subject.

"So, how pissed was Katniss when she saw that you didn't bring Peeta back?"

He let out a short, breathy laugh. "Pretty pissed. She even ignored me for a few days after we came back."

I blinked once and stared at the wall. I knew how important Peeta was to her. Hell, the Capitol had more use for him than they did for me. Why they kept me alive for so long is beyond my comprehension.

"You should've saved him."

Gale looks up, surprise and a hint of anger filling his eyes. "What did you say?" he seethed, though I knew he had heard me.

"I was already dead, remember? I was nothing but fucking skin and bone, and you didn't even know if I would make it back alive-"

"So letting you die was a better option? Is that what you wanted?" He exclaims standing up.

I glared at him, not letting his height intimidate me, "I'm not saying I wanted to die! I just thought it was a stupid decision as far as strategy goes, Peeta plays a far more important role in this rebellion and you should've found him first. You could've come back for me!" I hated how my voice cracked at the end.

I hate how weak it makes me sound, as if I'm about to cry or break down, when really, I just need some fucking water.

Gale knows this, and he immediately gets up to go to the nearby sink and fill up a cup for me. He hands it to me and stares at his hands as I take a few sips.

"You would've been dead by the time we found a way to come back." He whispers giving me that same look again.

I swallow what's left and hold his stare, "I could've held on a little longer."

"No you couldn't have." He gives me a sad smile, "You're strong Valerie, but you're not invincible." He lays his hand on top of my arm, gently, as to not mess with the IV and my injuries.

I turn away so he doesn't see the tears forming in my eyes, and I blink them away before they could fall. I don't cry, I stopped a long time ago.

It was then I realized how lucky I really was, and how ungrateful I sounded.

"Thank you." I whisper, swallowing my pride.

He lifted my hand to his lips, not kissing it, but just pressing his mouth against my skin. I'm pretty sure the salve wasn't a pleasant smell to his nose.

"I couldn't leave you there to rot and die. We couldn't." He murmurs against my hand. "You saved my life the day they burned District 12, and everyone I love made it out because of you." I looked back up at him only to find him staring intently into my eyes once again.

"It should be me thanking you, because I never got the chance to."

/

 **YES! God, this was so fun to write.**

 **Okay, for the confusion you may be feeling. Valerie is a victor, she won the 72nd hunger games and she's from District 11. The reason her and Gale seem so close now will be revealed in later chapters but as of right now, just go with the flow guys.**

 **-Birdy**


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